Do You Want A Dry Basement? Tips and Information To Keep Your Basement Dry

During the raining season, it is very clear whether you have a leaky basement or not.Water seeping to the basement of your home become a reality when you see puddles of water on the basement floor.The question then is, where is the water coming from? If the spring season brings water into the basement, chances are the water is coming from the outside.If you have problems with leaky pipes, water would be a problem all year long, not only during the spring season.The humidity in your basement can play havoc with furniture, the stability of the foundation, appliances you may have there, etc. Taking care of those problems right away can save you many headaches down the road.

Basement moisture introduces mold and mildew, wood rot and worse. Gradually, the effect of such issues combine to compromise the home both structurally and aesthetically. Fortunately for us all, affordable and DIY-friendly masonry waterproofer can both of those problems at the same time. Read on to find out how!

As homeowners, we all have our dirty little secrets, whether it be a carpet stain concealed by strategically placed furniture or in my case, a basement furnace room that resembles a horror-movie set. Despite being dimly lit, with exposed pipes spreading like tentacles all around, I know the room would have problems much worse than aesthetics, if it weren’t for the sump pump and drains I opted to add several years ago. The combination worked wonders to stem the tide of basement leaks we’d been struggling to control until then. But recently, I began to recognize that although pools of liquid water no longer suddenly appear on the floor, another, subtler warning sign—unsightly, unhealthy mildew—proves that basement moisture remains an issue.

So I decided to launch on a new campaign aimed not only at protecting against future mildew growth, but also at improving the look of the furnace room once and for all. Of course, I’m not the first homeowner to take on a project like this.

WASHINGTON — Next week could bring heavy rain into the region. And if rain makes your basement soggy, a consumer’s group advises trying easy do-it-yourself solutions before hiring a contractor.

“Check to make sure your gutters have been cleaned out. Check to make sure that downspouts from your gutters are spilling far away from your home,” said Kevin Brasler, executive editor at Checkbook.org.

Also, hiring a drainage consultant might reveal additional quick fixes, or determine that grading performed when the home was new has diminished. Grading of soil near a home prevents water from flowing toward walls.

“It’s a pretty inexpensive thing to do, especially compared to what these companies will propose,” Brasler said.

You should examine all options, Brasler added, before hiring a basement waterproofing contractor.

“If you are going to hire a company to solve your problem inside your basement, make sure you talk to several companies,” Brasler advised. “I would talk to five or six companies that do this type of work.”

​Just as spring allergens can pose a problem for people, spring weather and changes can pose a problem for homes. Ted Puzio, owner of Southern Trust Home Services, shares tips about how homeowners can prep their homes for spring.

Homeowners can reduce seasonal allergens inside the home by inspecting or replacing HVAC air filters and inspecting ductwork and vents for signs of mold growth.

Homeowners can prevent basement waterproofing problems due to spring showers by checking the house for any leaks and seepage and unclogging gutters and checking that all downspouts extend away from the home’s foundation.

Homeowners can prepare for early heat by checking the AC. – strange noises, condensation leaks and indoor temperatures that do not match thermostat readings are signs that it needs repair – and by requesting a seasonal HVAC tune-up and cleaning.